Method of Manufacturing a Flexible Circuit Electrode Array

a flexible circuit and electrode array technology, applied in the direction of printed circuits, head electrodes, internal electrodes, etc., can solve the problems of gold, while biocompatible, not completely stable, implant devices, etc., and achieve excellent adhesion, excellent adhesion, and excellent adhesion.

Active Publication Date: 2013-12-05
CORTIGENT INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a flexible circuit electrode array with excellent adhesion and insulating properties achieved through a new technique of activation of a base polymer layer prior to applying a top polymer layer. Additionally, a top metal layer is applied to improve adhesion. This method solves the issue of weak adhesion between the insulator polymer layers and ensures excellent insulation of the trace metal.

Problems solved by technology

However, encapsulation proves difficult to effectively implement with this method.
Gold, while biocompatible, is not completely stable under the conditions present in an implant device since it dissolves by electromigration when implanted in living tissue and subject to an electric current.

Method used

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  • Method of Manufacturing a Flexible Circuit Electrode Array
  • Method of Manufacturing a Flexible Circuit Electrode Array
  • Method of Manufacturing a Flexible Circuit Electrode Array

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0119]A 10.2 cm×10.2 cm×0.15 cm supporting glass plate substrate 70 was marked with a batch and plate identification code by mechanical engraving. Then a 5.5 μm thick layer of polyimide BPDA / PDA (derived from 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) and p-phenylendiamine (PDA)) layer 71a was applied onto the front side of the glass plate 70 as a liquid precursor by spin coating and cured to Polyimide, PI2611.

[0120]Then a 0.05 μm layer of titanium 72a was applied on the polyimide layer 71a preferably by magnetron sputtering, a 0.5 μm layer of platinum 73 was applied on the titanium layer 72a preferably by magnetron sputtering, and a 0.10 μm layer of titanium 72b was applied onto the layer of platinum 73 preferably by magnetron sputtering yielding a titanium / platinum / titanium thin film stack.

[0121]Subsequently a 2 μm layer 74 of positive photoresist AZ 1512 (Microchemicals GmbH, Germany) was applied on the titanium layer 72b. The photoresist layer 74 was irradiated by UV l...

example 2

[0131]Example 2 was carried out according to example 1 with the difference that the base polyimide surface layer 71a was activated and partially removed by RIE in all areas not covered by trace metal conductors. The surface was treated in 100 mTorr, 85% O2, 15% CF4 for 2 min at 200 W and 20° C. as shown in the preceding table 1 and the deimidization was omitted. The adhesion strength between the base polyimide layer 71a and the top polyimide layer 71b is shown in table 3.

TABLE 3Adhesion StrengthPolyimide -PolyimideAdhesionPolyimide - PolyimideStrength [N]Adhesion Strength [N]ExRIEDeimidizationDryWet185% O2,3.02.415% CF4

[0132]Table 3 shows the measurement of two adhered dry polyimide films and two adhered polyimide films kept in saline solution for 7 days at 87° C.

example 3

[0133]Example 3 was carried out according to example 1 with the difference that the base polyimide surface layer 71a was activated by deimidization. The surface was subsequently treated in KOH-deimidization bath at 25° C. for 5 min with manual agitation of the carrier boat at least every 60 s. The surface was first rinsed in a lower cascade rinse bath for 60 s, in a middle cascade rinse bath for 60 s, and finally in a bubbler cascade rinse bath for 60 s. The surface was dried with filtered nitrogen. The surface was then treated in an HCl-deimidization bath at 25° C. for 5 min with manual agitation of the carrier boat at least every 60 s. The surface was first rinsed in a lower cascade rinse bath for 60 s, in a middle cascade rinse bath for 60 s, and finally in a bubbler cascade rinse bath for 60 s. The deimidization process is shown in the following table 2 and the RIE was omitted. The adhesion strength between the base polyimide layer 71a and the top polyimide layer 71b is shown in...

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PUM

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Abstract

Polymer materials make useful materials as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision. Regardless of which polymer is used, the basic construction method is the same. A layer of polymer is laid down. A layer of metal is applied to the polymer and patterned to create electrodes and leads for those electrodes. A second layer of polymer is applied over the metal layer and patterned to leave openings for the electrodes, or openings are created later by means such as laser ablation. Hence the array and its supply cable are formed of a single body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 926,459, filed Oct. 29, 2007, for Method of Manufacturing and Flexible Circuit Electrode Array, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 702,735, for Method of Manufacturing a Flexible Circuit Electrode Array, filed Feb. 6, 2007, which claims the benefit of provisional Application No. 60 / 772,099, for Flexible Circuit Electrode Array and Method of Manufacturing the Same, filed Feb. 10, 2006, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]This invention was made with government support under grant No. R24EY12893-01, which has been awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The government has certain rights in the invention.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]1. Field of the Invention[0004]The present invention is generally directed to a flexibl...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A61N1/05
CPCA61N1/0543H05K3/0011H05K3/0035H05K3/064H05K2203/0736H05K2203/095
Inventor GREENBERG, ROBERT J.OK, JERRYNEYSMITH, JORDAN MATTHEWMECH, BRIAN V.TALBOT, NEIL HAMILTON
Owner CORTIGENT INC
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